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'Won in Australia, drew with England. But lost to both in big games': Ganguly's unsparing 'WC' message to Rohit, Dravid
Sourav Ganguly didn't mince his words as he talked about Team India's preparations for the 2023 World Cup.
India are setting their sights on the ODI World Cup as the tournament comes to the home turf in October-November later this year. The team has been grappling with an ICC trophy drought, with its last title secured under MS Dhoni's captaincy in 2013 when India lifted the Champions Trophy. With the World Cup being hosted in India, the stakes are exceptionally high, placing added pressure on captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid.
Under the leadership of this duo, India have already endured twin-disappointments in their quest to break the trophy drought. They suffered a semifinal loss to England in the T20 World Cup 2022 and a resounding 209-run defeat to Australia in the World Test Championship final earlier this year.
Concerns have arisen that India may falter under the weight of such pressure, particularly on home soil. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who also served as the BCCI president when Rohit and Dravid began their tenure in current respective roles, made significant remark regarding the team's performance in high-pressure situations.
Ganguly recounted India's wins in Australia and the drawn Test series in England, but insisted that the side lost to both teams come the ICC tournaments. The former India captain insisted that the India team needs to “get back to its winning ways” and be ready for any situation at the ODI World Cup.
“Is #TeamIndia favourite because the World Cup is held in India or because we’re playing with strength and confidence @virendersehwag? Yes, we won against Aus in Aus, drew series against England but then we lost to them both in big match situations. I think we have a solid team and a big chance, but we do need to get back to our winning ways before the #ICCworldCup23,” wrote Ganguly.
Asia Cup the first test
Before India embark on their World Cup campaign, the team faced some stiff challenges in the ongoing Asia Cup. Having advanced from the group stage with a victory over Nepal and an rain-forced abandoned match against Pakistan, India now commences their Super Four campaign with a rematch against Babar Azam's Pakistan side on Sunday. Subsequently, they will face Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the remaining games.
